Maverick is different, I heard the words stream through my head.

  Even though the voice was my own, it still felt like a foreign thought which gave me cause for pause.

  As though reading my sudden panic, Maverick gave my hand a reassuring squeeze, and I glanced up from where I’d been staring at the red ribbon being wound around us. A tiny smile curled his mouth, and the rest of his face was relaxed—as if he wasn’t concerned in the least that we were being bound together. So maybe I shouldn’t have been concerned either?

  Whatever that cold, fearful, flinching spot inside my chest was, it began to thaw.

  He might be a moody, stubborn, jerk at times, but even on his worst day, Maverick was a million times the man Jonathon was. Furthermore, they were nothing alike, and I trusted Maverick. I really did. And that meant this marriage would be nothing like my first one.

  I let out the breath that had been choking my throat and turned to face Wanda when she spoke.

  “We gather together in this sacred space to witness the handfasting of these two people before the Goddess, before friends and family, and before the spirits of those who have come before us.”

  She beckoned us forward to each take up one of the taper candles, and to use them together to light the single pillar. Doing so was a little awkward with my left hand, but I managed without dropping it, setting the tablecloth on fire, or spilling hot wax onto my dress. Points for me.

  Once the candle was lit and we stepped back, Wanda continued. “You both come together to publicly proclaim your commitment to each other. May you walk together on your life’s path, without sacrificing who you are as unique individuals. May you walk together, and take pride in your individuality and your growth into a united couple. May you walk together, always with reverence and joy, love and respect for one another.”

  When she was finished speaking, she gave me a little smile as I glanced at Maverick, wondering how he was reacting to her words. Whatever this ceremony was, it sounded… serious and I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he was in over his head. And if I was in over my head. But when I looked at him, he just looked back at me and there was no fear in his eyes, something I found consoling.

  The vows Wanda told us to repeat were surprisingly brief. They talked about supporting one another, but I was a little pathetically grateful they didn’t mention anything about loving each other until the end of time, or anything like that. Honestly, the words could have applied to a friendship, or a partnership instead of a romantic relationship.

  I liked Maverick, I did. I was also attracted to him, as irritating as that was from time to time. But my life was plenty complicated enough without trying to jump into a romantic relationship with anyone. That was actually the last thing on my list, if it was even on my list at all. The truth was, I enjoyed being my own person and being a mom. I didn’t mind being single. In fact, I actually preferred it.

  Well, luckily for you, this isn’t a real relationship, I told myself. It’s just a sham marriage to save you from the real thing. And you can continue being independent and single and most importantly, Taliyah Morgan—mom and Chief of Police.

  And that was the goal. To remain the person I was.

  For months, I’d been wrestling with the unfairness of it all. Ever since Fifi had spilled the beans on my heritage and broken the seal on my memories early, everyone had just been acting like my becoming Olwen was a done deal. That I’d just roll over and accept my fate. Like it was a foregone conclusion that I’d just stop being Taliyah in order to become Olwen. Their reactions reminded me of my ex-husband. Jonathon had expected me to revolve my entire life around him, too. To stop being me and just be his wife.

  And damn it all, but I wanted a choice in all of this. I didn’t want to have my life and future dictated to me. Maybe in the opinion of others, this life that meant so much to me wasn’t much in the face of Olwen becoming Queen, but it was mine, and it mattered to me. If they wouldn’t give me a choice, then I’d take that choice for myself. And that’s what I was doing at this exact moment: I was choosing Maverick, because he’d never failed to have my back when I needed him.

  Wanda was doing something witchy with the ribbon as we repeated the vows she’d told us to say, and I could feel it—it was like an odd prickle of magic that skimmed along my skin as it wrapped around both of us, linking us together. The magic didn’t feel heavy like chains, more like delicate threads weaving in and out and around us; strong, but not restrictive.

  Elation bubbled up in my chest as the magic symbolically joined us. I could feel it working. And that meant I was securing my own future. It meant I wouldn’t have to marry Fox and give up my entire life. I wouldn’t have to move my kids to some other realm to become Queen to people I’d never even met. I could stay in Haven Hollow. I could remain Taliyah. I could continue with my duties as Chief of Police. And I owed it all to Maverick.

  But then the magic snagged and froze in place, like it had suddenly hit a roadblock.

  “Hmm,” Wanda said as she held her hands closer to both of us and frowned at the air—or at something I couldn’t see. “That’s not what was supposed to happen.”

  The disappointment that tore through me was enough to make angry tears burn behind my eyes.

  “What’s going on?” Maverick asked, his voice deep.

  Wanda didn’t even need to answer, because I knew what was happening. I could feel it.

  “My magic has come up against… something,” she answered, still frowning as she focused harder and closed her eyes, her lips moving with a chant that only existed inside her head. When she opened her eyes, her expression was the same. Frustration.

  Despair curved my shoulders forward, dragging like lead weights. Maybe I didn’t have a choice, after all. Maybe this whole Olwen thing was predetermined and there was no getting around it. Maybe when something was meant to be, it simply had to be.

  Maverick’s fingers tightened around mine, his grip turning almost painful, but I didn’t care. I was too devastated, too disappointed to care.

  He turned to Wanda. “Come up against something?” he asked, his voice tight.

  Wanda eyed our bound hands, tapping one finger to her lower lip. “Something’s missing.”

  “I’m no magic user,” Lorcan said. “But suffice to say, I have been around for a long while. And in my many years, I have noticed that all rituals have to be sealed in some way or another. To bring a zombie’s mind back to its body, you anoint it with blood, you see,” he continued as if he were telling us a story and not interrupting a potentially life-changing ritual.

  “Your point, Lorcan?” I managed to grind out.

  “Sex and blood are what sealed the bond between Wanda and me.”

  I felt my mouth drop open as shock suffused me. “I’m not having sex with Maverick in front of you two,” I said, my voice flat. And then I realized exactly what I’d said and blood roared into my face, making me blush so hard, my whole face felt hot enough to steam. “That is to say… that I’m… I’m not having sex with Maverick at all!”

  Both Lorcan and Maverick burst out laughing, and I seriously considered stomping on Maverick’s foot.

  Lorcan managed to stop chortling long enough to speak. “I was not intimating that it needs to be so… drastic, my dear.” He made a motion between the two of us with one hand as if to illustrate a charade of ‘drastic’. “You just need to perform something of tradition in this scenario.”

  Maverick and I exchanged a questioning glance before looking back at Lorcan. I had no idea what he was getting at. What was traditional in a witch ritual? Maverick was a Blood Warlock, and he seemed just as lost as I was.

  Lorcan rolled his eyes and shook his head like we were the two biggest idiots he’d ever met. “You may now kiss the bride?”

  Maverick blinked, surprised. He glanced at me and raised one eyebrow, as if asking me what I wanted to do. I breathed in a reassured breath as that one little gesture chased away the awkward embarrassment, and the cold disappointment that had just suffused me. A kiss? Yes, I could handle a kiss. In fact, I was so happy at the thought that a kiss might be the answer to this mysterious blockade that I wanted to throw my arms around Maverick and kiss him into tomorrow. The difference in our heights meant I had to go right up onto my tiptoes in order to lay a peck on his lips.

  At least, that was what I intended to do.

  But as soon as our lips touched, magic exploded between us, sending pleasure roaring through every part of me. The sensation buckled my knees, and I staggered in the shoes I’d borrowed from Wanda. I might have actually fallen if Maverick hadn’t wrapped his long arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him before I could sink to the ground.

  “Careful, Taliyah,” he said, his voice a low purr. “Don’t go falling for me already.”

  I laughed, feeling a little giddy from the combined pleasure and relief still singing through my body. I could feel the magic humming around us—it was back and in full force. Maverick ducked his head and kissed me again, stifling the laughter lingering on my lips. And I… I let him. His lips were soft, and so warm, and part of me wanted to slide my arms around his neck and drag him closer, to press our bodies together. The hot, slick brush of his tongue against my lower lip didn’t help.

  I parted my lips and tilted my head back, giving him better access to my mouth, and Maverick pressed forward. His arms tightened, pulling me against the surprisingly firm wall of his chest. His tongue pressed into my mouth in a hot, wet glide against my own, and I had to swallow back the embarrassing sound that tried to slip out of me. And I had to remind myself that we had onlookers…

  I didn’t want to admit it, especially not to myself, but this was one of the best damn kisses I’d ever had. I tried not to think about it, to just let myself feel and exist in the moment, because if I thought too hard, doing so might take me to places I really couldn’t afford to go to at the moment.

  Wanda cleared her throat loudly. “We’re still standing here, you know?”

  Oh, right.

  I pulled away from Maverick and felt the color high up in my cheeks.

  “Well done, children!” Lorcan said with a huge grin as he slapped his hands together and looked like he was one step away from breaking into song and dance. Maverick looked over at him and frowned, apparently not enjoying being referred to as a child.

  I pressed my lips together, trying to get my breathing back under control. I had to fight the urge to bury my face in Maverick’s chest, just to hide my bright red cheeks. The only thing that made me feel even a little bit less embarrassed was that Maverick looked as affected as I was from the kiss. There was a line of red along the tops of his cheekbones, and his chest rose and fell as hard as mine was.

  Wanda appeared to be wickedly amused. “One last thing, and then you too can run along to enjoy your wedding night.” She walked over to the side of the room where I noticed a broom of sorts leaning against the wall. She picked it up and sashayed back over to us, holding it up with one hand and waggling it at us. It wasn’t anything you’d find in a store. It looked handmade; a fistful of straw bound to a twisted, knotted tree branch. It was like something you might use as a Halloween decoration. She laid it down on the floor, just outside the circle we still stood within.

  Then she looked at us. “Jump over it.”

  I waited, to see if this was some kind of witch prank, because it just seemed… odd, but Maverick didn’t seem bothered, just led me over to the edge of the circle.

  “Ready?” His lips curled up ever so slightly.

  I shook my head. I was still reeling from the kiss with Maverick from earlier. It had been a long time since a man had kissed me. Longer than I cared to admit, and I had to swallow twice before I could get my voice to come out as anything but a throaty purr. “Sure, why not?” It wasn’t even the tenth weirdest thing to happen to me that night.

  We jumped over the broomstick together, and Lorcan burst into applause, cheering like we’d just scored a touchdown, until Wanda elbowed him in the side to get him to stop.

  “Is that… it?” I asked as I looked over at Wanda. She glanced back at me and simply nodded. “Then we’re all done here?” I questioned again, just to be sure.

  “You are all finished and bound and can look forward to a blissful life together,” she answered as she faced her cousin. “Maverick, please do not make our lovely Chief of Police regret this.”

  I could have hugged her for calling me by my official title. It was just another sign that I was still the same me—that Maverick had helped to make sure I’d stay that way.

  “Thank you,” I said to her and then Lorcan. “You don’t know what a huge service you’ve done for me and if I can ever repay you...” But I couldn’t continue because Lorcan waved me away.

  “We’ll see if you’ll be thanking us in a week or so,” he answered on a laugh. “Perhaps you’ll, instead, be requesting a divorce.”

  Maverick just shook his head as Wanda took Lorcan’s arm and started leading him away from the room.

  “You can lock up after yourselves,” she called out to us as they disappeared into the hallway.

  Maverick turned to face me. “How do you feel?”

  “Fine,” I answered and then remembered how late the hour was getting. “Can you take me home? I need to get back to my boys.”

  Maverick’s thumb stroked across the back of my hand, his face solemn. “Of course. After I drop you off, I’ll ward your house for the night, to keep Reynard away.”

  “Jerkoff Reynard,” I corrected. He laughed.

  Then Maverick started to unwind the ribbon still looped around our hands. I watched him for a moment.

  “Thank you,” I blurted out when the last bit of scarlet fell away. “For everything you did for me.”

  Maverick looked down at me and grinned. It was small, but it was genuine and I couldn’t remember a more beautiful smile.

  “It was my pleasure.”

  Chapter Five

  The next day I didn’t feel any different.

  And I was fairly sure that was a good thing.

  I didn’t look any different either—no pointier ears, no longer hair, nothing that might hint at the fact that Taliyah was gone and Olwen had taken her place. All I could do was breathe a long sigh of relief.

  In honor of waking up as myself, I’d decided to take the boys out to purchase a Christmas tree and I’d found nothing but joy in watching them debate and squabble about which tree best suited them. In the end, Sean and Charlie chose a tree that I worried wouldn’t actually fit in the living room. But watching them cover the whole thing with handmade ornaments, and the few we’d bought together, was worth the pain of angling the enormous thing in through the front door. We’d only been able to decorate the upper branches, since Snowball still wasn’t entirely straight on what was for eating and what wasn’t.

  And it wasn’t just the three of us either. I’d invited my parents up for a visit and I was glad they were able to make it, though it was hard for them. This was the first holiday season without Cain, and his absence was pretty glaring. And while my brother wasn’t really gone (because he was taking residence in Darla), I could hardly tell them as much. They were nice, normal people, and if I started trying to explain that no, actually, their son’s ghost was still hanging around but he was haunting his old class ring, worn by an ex-flapper medium who he occasionally possessed to solve crimes, they’d be calling an ambulance for me.

  No, I wanted this visit to be… normal. I wanted everything to feel just like it used to so I pushed worries about the Fae courts and Prince Reynard and Olwen to the back of my already overwhelmed mind.

  My parents seemed to be doing a pretty good job of distracting themselves by throwing all their energy into doing all the holiday stuff with their grandkids. They’d already baked cookies together, opened a few presents early (they were planning on spending Christmas in Florida as per their usual), made hot cocoa, and there was talk about going out caroling later that afternoon.

  Marty had joined us, too. He and the boys got along well, which made sense because Marty was basically a kid in a forty-eight-year-old man’s body. Poppy and her son were due to come over later as Sean and Charlie had become good friends with Finn.

  Currently, everyone was working together to put together a toy Charlie had gotten from his grandparents. The thing looked like it needed a NASA engineer to figure out where the batteries went, and I was staying out of it. Instead, I nursed my third cup of coffee and tried to focus on the here and now, not on worries about what might happen when Fox Aspen discovered I was already married. I nearly jumped out of my skin when there was a knock at the door.

  My shoulders stiffened, and I turned to stare at the front of the house like my own porch had just turned into a poisonous snake.

  I’d had the feeling that Fox was hanging around Haven Hollow. I hadn’t seen him and no one had mentioned as much but it was just this strange sort of knowing that flowed through me, all the same. Maverick had been true to his word and he’d warded my house and so far, the wards had kept Fox and any of his minions away. Even so, I couldn’t help the fact that my heart rode up into my throat at hearing that knock when I wasn’t expecting anyone quite this early.

  Part of me wanted to ignore it. No one else seemed to have heard it—even snowball was too busy running in circles around the boys to do his usual car alarm impression when he noticed someone at the door.

  But I figured ignoring it wouldn’t help anything. And, furthermore, I didn’t know if my visitor really was Fox. So, I stalked down the hall and peered out the little front window. I was surprised to see a short black bob of hair and a flirty smile as Darla leaned over and waved to me. Relieved, I opened the door.

  Darla had been a flapper and an actress back in the nineteen-twenties, before she’d been murdered by her jealous ex. She’d spent the next century as a ghost, until Wanda had somehow accidentally brought her back to life. Now Darla worked at Spook Society as a medium, since apparently spending time as a ghost left you pretty sensitive to ghostly energies. It made as much sense as anything else in this town did and I’d learned fairly quickly to stop questioning everything.